


The Sweeter Things

by megyal



Category: Naruto
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-05-26
Updated: 2010-05-26
Packaged: 2017-10-11 11:19:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/111854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/megyal/pseuds/megyal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p><span class="small">Artwork from <a href="http://jofelly.livejournal.com/profile"><img/></a><a href="http://jofelly.livejournal.com/"><strong>jofelly</strong></a></span></p>
    </blockquote>





	The Sweeter Things

**Author's Note:**

> Artwork from [](http://jofelly.livejournal.com/profile)[**jofelly**](http://jofelly.livejournal.com/)

On the morning of Iruka's birthday, Kakashi woke up alone in their bed. He scowled at the world in general; it was not supposed to be that way, but the Academy had set its holidays early this year and Iruka had been sent off on a mission from last week.

"I'm not sure if I'll be back in time for my birthday," Iruka had told him forlornly as he had packed. "I'll try, but it looks more like two days after."

"Don't push yourself too much. I'll have the cake ready," Kakashi had promised with a small smile, and Iruka had beamed at him. Iruka _loved_ birthdays, whether it was his own or that of other people. It was one of those little details that Kakashi adored about him.

He got up out of bed, performed his morning ablutions and came back to their messy bedroom to tidy. As he was lining up the footwear in the cupboard (placing them in their pairs with military regularity), he felt a brush of Iruka's chakra and peered at the small cardboard box on the upper shelf. Abandoning the shoes to their soldier-like rows, he retrieved the box and sat on the bed; he went through the proper seals that were keyed to Iruka's chakra-locks, and removed the cover.

Iruka's little treasure box was a random collection of seemingly mundane items: a dried flower, a broken bracelet, a coin from Wave Country, a small metallic triangle that could have been the very tip of a _kunai_'s blade. On top of all that, what someone else might term junk, was a photograph that caused Kakashi to smile behind his mask. In it, Iruka was in the foreground, his grin wide and eyes gone all squinty. Around his mouth seemed messy with crumbs and it didn't take very long to see why: behind him, a massive cake sat on a low table, and someone (obviously Iruka) had taken a chomp out of it, even before it was cut.

Beside the cake, Kakashi sat maskless, appearing amused at Iruka's enthusiasm.

That had been last year; Iruka had discovered Kakashi's secret hobby (or not so secret, Gai complained that he was getting fat from Kakashi's culinary undertakings) and had demanded a special cake for his birthday. Kakashi had undertaken Iruka's Cake as if it had been an S-Class mission, and when Iruka came home from school, trailed by Naruto and Sakura, he had done a delighted birthday dance and went at the cake with his teeth, chewing theatrically.

"Mmm!" He had gazed at Kakashi with gratitude and pleasure. "This is _so good_."

Sakura had said, "Wait, Iruka-sensei, a picture before you eat any more of it!" and Iruka, who sometimes hated cameras as much as Kakashi, had actually turned and posed, his face awash with crumbs and grins.

Looking at the photographical evidence of his triumph over sugar, flour and eggs, Kakashi decided that since he was still on rotation-break, today was a fine day for cupcakes.

After all, it _was_ Iruka's birthday. He'd just have to celebrate it alone.

*

He was just making sure that the cupcakes were cool enough to start frosting when he felt a bright swelling of chakra; it felt like the sun rising, or a balloon being blown like a child. He barely had time to step into the living area, when the security-seals were dismantled rapidly, the front door burst open and Iruka bounded in.

"Kakashi!" He actually leapt for Kakashi, who found himself with an armful of sweaty, smelly, happy chuunin. "It's my birthday!"

"What are you doing here?" Kakashi asked, holding him at arm's length. Iruka's face was streaked with dirt, there were dried leaves in his hair and he had the first signs of what was going to be a very impressive lump on his left temple. There were large dark bags under his eyes, which were bloodshot; he'd probably gone for a few days without sleep, but his smile was wide and genuine.

"I finished the mission early." Iruka peered around. "Where is it?"

"I hope you didn't push yourself too hard," Kakashi lectured, reluctantly letting Iruka go and watching as he searched all about. "What are you looking for?"

"My cake!" Iruka rounded on him and pouted. "Don't tell me you didn't make it. I ran all the way from the borderlands, because I was sure you would!"

Kakashi blinked at him. Then, he started to laugh; he removed his pink apron (Sakura had bought it for him, it said CAUTION: MAN BAKING on the front), hung it up and hugged Iruka tight, laughing his head off all the while.

"It's not funny," Iruka said in a mock-sulky manner, but he snuggled against Kakashi's chest, looking up in his face with a half-smile. "You _said_ you would have it ready."

"Two days from now," Kakashi reminded him, placing a kiss on the side of his mouth. "It's not my fault you're so spoiled that you expected to have your cake."

"Of course it's your fault." Iruka kissed him back, right on the mouth. "You're the one who always gives me anything I ask for." He slid his hands around Kakashi, gripping two handfuls of jounin ass. "You'd better make it up to me, somehow."1

"Wait, go have a bath," Kakashi said, struck by inspiration. "Put on something nice, okay?"

Iruka agreed. He staggered a bit when he went into the bathroom and Kakashi promised himself that he would make sure Iruka got plenty of rest tonight (tomorrow night, however, would be a far different story). He hurried back to the rack of cupcakes that Iruka had not spotted, and seized the bowl of frosting.

"Now, cupcakes," he intoned, brandishing the spatula. "It is time to meet your maker."

He had once watched a baker do this, and it was so easy for his hands to duplicate the swirling action. In no time at all, he had all twelve cupcakes arranged on a platter; he rummaged around the kitchen drawers for a birthday candle, placing it on the middle one and lighting it with a tiny _katon_.

He was just putting the platter on the table, when Iruka came out in his favourite yukata.

"Happy Birthday, Iruka," Kakashi said and Iruka's smile was gleeful. He actually ran over to kneel at the table, inspecting the blue and pink frosting, before gazing up at Kakashi with shining brown eyes.

"Thank you so much," he said in a hushed voice.

Then, snickering, he leaned forward and took a massive bite out of the closest one.

"Iruka!" Kakashi scolded.

...luckily, he'd had his camera ready.

_fin_

**ETA:** 1\. [](http://jofelly.livejournal.com/profile)[**jofelly**](http://jofelly.livejournal.com/) drew an awesome fanart in which Kakashi DID make it up Iruka: [Dolphins Only](http://community.livejournal.com/kakairu/2619639.html). XD XD XD


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